Energy Star Changes Approach to Programmable Thermostats

Energy Star has promoted programmable thermostats since 1995, estimating that consumers will save 10%–30% on their heating and cooling energy bills. With sales of programmable thermostats doubling in the last ten years, and with more than 25 million programmable thermostats installed in homes, the potential energy savings are enormous. But it appears that those savings have remained largely unrealized.